


The Price We Pay

by raynalatrev



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 10:35:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3807157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raynalatrev/pseuds/raynalatrev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of the events at Fort Adamant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Price We Pay

For the first time since the first war table meeting in Haven, the Inquisitor could not be found. After the events at the Adamant Fortress, Rayna had not been sleeping, and was daydreaming in nightmares.

“It is unlike our Inquisitor to miss a meeting.” Leliana said towards Cullen.

“Leliana, we must give her time. I imagine what happened was not easy.”

“It never is,” said Cullen, looking down at the iron piece on the war table, “ let us hold off for today, and I will talk to her.”

Josephine and leliana both nodded and walked out of the war room. Cullen knew that eventually, all of this would take a toll on the inquisitor. It was just a matter of time. It was understandable. He knew of one place that the guards may not have looked.

 

Cullen made his way up to Rayna’s quarters. There were plates on her desk, where he could see she had not been eating. Her bed was not made, and her armor was in a pile on the floor. Cullen picked up each piece and laid them out on her bed, so they would not get ruined. Rayna had crafted that armor herself, tailored to fit so she could move quicker. Even had some runes in it for better defense. Her daggers, lay on her desk.

 

He could hear whimpering as he laid the last piece of armor on the bed, and opened the door beside the bed. No one knew, but there was a loft in the quarters, where Rayna would go to get away. He liked to do the same with his. So, he made his way up the letter,and there she was.

 

When Rayna looked up at cullen, he could see she was not having a good day. Not even close. Her eyes were rimmed red from crying, her brunette hair disheveled from neglecting to take care of herself. One arm of her sleeve was up, while the other was down, and she had one sock on.

“Rayna, love, talk to me. Tell me about your day so far.” Cullen wanted to take small steps with this. She was fragile and would break any second.

“ I just…I had a nightmare, about the Nightmare. And Hawke. The Fade. All of it. I couldn’t help I should’ve helped and tried to save her-” Rayna began to choke up.

At Adamant, Ginger Hawke and Alistair had been with her in the fade, along with Cassandra,Varric, and Dorian. When the Nightmare closed in, Hawke stayed behind so the rest of the, could escape. And now there was no Hawke.

“How can I save the world when I can’t handle one decision-” Rayna started to trail off. She closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them back up, Cullen could see how exhausted she was.

“I can’t carry the burden of the world…and I can’t be the world’s burden. Cullen, if I fail..the world will fall.”

“Shh, shh,” Cullen kneeled down to where Rayna was and grabbed her in his arms, “I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”

Rayna buried her face into couldn’t pauldron. Quickly, it became wet with tears.  
“I need sleep. But I can’t sleep in here, or alone.”

“Then we will go sleep in my loft. I will cancel all drills and missions for today, and tell the guards to not disturb us. Okay?”

Rayna looked up at Cullen, green eyes wet and glassy from exhaustion and pain, “okay.”


End file.
